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NFL plans Juneteenth as league holiday

The NFL plans to recognize Juneteenth as a league holiday.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement to league employees Friday in an internal memo obtained by the Associated Press.

Juneteenth is considered the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. It was originally celebrated on June 19, the day that Union soldiers in 1865 told enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War had ended and they were free.

“This year, as we work together as a family and in our communities to combat the racial injustices that remain deeply rooted into the fabric of our society, the NFL will observe Juneteenth on Friday, June 19th as a recognized holiday and our league offices will be closed,” Goodell said in the memo. “It is a day to reflect on our past, but more importantly, consider how each one of us can continue to show up and band together to work toward a better future.”

Houston suspends offseason workouts

The University of Houston is suspending all voluntary workouts for its athletes after six tested positive for COVID-19 with symptoms.

Houston announced it was shutting down workouts due to “an abundance of caution” and an increase of positive tests in the greater Houston area over the last week.

The school said the athletes, who were not identified, have been placed in isolation and medical staff is conducting contact-tracing procedures.

Schools around the country have begun bringing athletes back to campus this month for voluntary workouts. Athletes are being tested for COVID-19 and coronavirus antibodies and given physical screenings through examines and questionnaires. There is no national standardized testing protocol for athletes.

Bruins player tests positive

The Boston Bruins say one of their players has tested positive for COVID-19.

General manager Don Sweeney says the unidentified player had not been a part of informal workouts with his teammates.

The Bruins say the player was tested as a requirement to enter the team’s practice facility and came up positive. The player has not shown any COVID-19 symptoms.

The Bruins say the player has since tested negative twice for the disease.

Formula One cancels 3 races

Formula One races in Azerbaijan, Singapore and Japan were canceled on Friday because of issues arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

The sport’s governing body said it still hopes to deliver up to 18 races in the rearranged 2020 season, with the first eight already confirmed starting with a double-header in Austria in early July.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was due to be rescheduled after the postponement of its original race date on June 7, while the Singapore Grand Prix was scheduled for Sept. 20.

Both use street circuits, and the FIA said the long lead times required to construct them “made hosting the events during a period of uncertainty impossible.”

The Japanese Grand Prix, scheduled for Oct. 11, was canceled because of ongoing travel restrictions during the pandemic.

“We are confident in our plans to have between 15-18 races by the time our season concludes in Abu Dhabi in mid-December,” the FIA said, adding that it expects to publish the finalized calendar before the season-opening race in Austria on July 5.

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